If you were in Bangkok for 24 hours....

I already have a hotel... but am not sure what to fill my day with. My priority is great authentic Thai cuisine and to not get sick as I am on an extended trip and will need to have my game face on the next day. What would you do if you only had 24 hours in Bangkok?

Thip Samai NoodleThip Samai is one of the best places to get pad thai in the city - frequented by locals and tourists, which means it's trustworthy! I've been three times and it's always been delicious.

The Grand Palace (Wat Pra Kaew) tops the lists of "must-do's" in Bangkok, and another temple, Wat Pho is close by. These are worth checking out, and my personal favorite place to walk through is the Jim Thompson House - a classic teak wood house turned into a museum of Thai art and silk.

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I'm not sure what kind of traveler you are, but if I were going to Bangkok for the first time and only had a day, I would make Wat Pho and the Grand Palace my two biggest priorities. You'll want to take your time a bit, especially at the palace. Also, I noticed when I was there that I usually ended up not getting to as many places as I initially thought I would because of the traffic and the humidity. Although you can move a lot more quickly via boat, street traffic is insane there. And while I usually have a lot of energy when I travel, the humidity really got to me there and I ended up taking a lot of unplanned breaks (and I actually love humidity).

For dinner, I would try Breeze. The food was good but what I really remember is the view--not to be believed. It's where they filmed The Hangover II. Just amazing!

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It depends on how busy you want to be, but since you only have a day I would guess that you would like to try to do a lot while in Bangkok.

If your main goal is to do a lot of sight seeing, you may want to consider doing a day package tour that includes transportation and all of the major sights. It's not my favorite way to do things normally, but most people end up spending a lot of time figuring out directions and haggling with tuk tuk drivers. That can be part of the fun, but you will definitely be able to see more if you have the transportation figured out in advance. Plus, tuk tuk drivers sometimes have a habit of pressuring you to go into their friends' shops which can waste more time.

If you are more for going at your own pace, then I would start by looking at the top attractions and seeing what calls to you. You could pick a mix of Buddhist temples, (Reclining Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew, and Temple of Dawn are popular choices), take a ferry ride on the Chao Phraya River, something modern like the Museum of Contemporary Art Bangkok, and maybe something weird like the Snake Farm.

There are several good food tours in Bangkok where you will be able to sample several different Thai staples, and might be the best way to taste many things in a short amount of time.

If you really wanted to experience what the food is all about, consider taking a cooking class.

If you are still around in the evening, I think one of the best places to find good Thai food is at the night markets such as Train Night Market@Ratchada or Huai Khwang. Look for the busiest stalls to see what's popular.

Mango sticky rice is one of my favorite things ever, closely followed by coconut ice cream... Just so you know.

End your day with a Thai massage. Massage is a important part of Thai health, so it's definitely not just a tourist thing. The prices are great and it will help you feel refreshed the next day!